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5W-40 - is that what's used in European cars?
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Patman
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A lot of European cars use it. In fact, I've got the owner's manual to my mom's 2001 VW Golf right in front of me and it's recommended viscosity is 5w40.
Correct. Many Owners Manuals also list certain car manufacture specs and/or ACEA specs for oil. Amsoil even has a specific European Car Formula Synthetic Oil https://www.amsoil.com/lit/databulletins/g1990_rev11_06.pdf that meets nearly all the European car requirements. I'm sure others do as well. Please list.
Volvo likes 5w40
5W30 is used mainly to meet emmission control on
cold starts in my opinion, it is too thin for the autobahn
so many require or recommend 5W40 A3 or manufacturer specification.
5W40 European Formula synthetic such as Quaker State Full sythetic is
a good oil for most euro cars
cold starts in my opinion, it is too thin for the autobahn
so many require or recommend 5W40 A3 or manufacturer specification.
5W40 European Formula synthetic such as Quaker State Full sythetic is
a good oil for most euro cars
Autobahn is to my knowledge only in Germany.
Go to any European oil site and select "any" new European vehicle.
Recommended oil will be 5W-30. Even the high power Audi/BMW/MB engines are now using 5W-30 (with some exceptions) as long-life fill (up to 30 000 km, diesel 50 000 km, OLM or 2 years) .
Go to any European oil site and select "any" new European vehicle.
Recommended oil will be 5W-30. Even the high power Audi/BMW/MB engines are now using 5W-30 (with some exceptions) as long-life fill (up to 30 000 km, diesel 50 000 km, OLM or 2 years) .
I've been thinking about running Valvoline 5w40 Syn in my explorer
How is this possible? Are the manufacturers specifying synthetics in Europe?
There are basically little/no Group II oils in Europe to make high quality inexpensive 5w-30’s. So you either buy a Group I based oil or a synthetic (Group III/IV/V). Among the synthetics there is very little Group III and V, so -- it’s pretty well Group I or IV(PAO).
Among the Group I (mineral solvent refined) I don’t see any 5w-30’s. I would think because a Group I can’t meet the latest spec’s. On Elf’s… site the only mineral oils offered are the heavier 10w-40, 15w-40 and 20w-50, … no 30 weights. Even in the semi-synthetic class there are no 30-weight oils offered.
So, unless the general public is using synthetic 5w-30’s, I don’t see how the manufacturers can spec. them. Generally only a fraction of the population uses synthetics because they are very expensive in Europe (commonly $15 -25 US liter).
Nowadays, pretty much yes. With all the VW, MB, BMW specs out there, none of the dino oils apply. Many manufacturers specify oil changes every 30k km or once every 2 years - they're not going to suggest you go that distance on a mineral oil.
5w-40 has not exactly been around as long as European cars have been. 15w-40 is a typical visc for many Euro apps when climate allows. It makes sufficient HT/HS for the A3 spec. As-is now with Euro cars, they tend toward the more spohisticated synthetics with longer ocis. However, imo many newer Euros running synth-length ocis would have been MUCH better served with less-frequent changes of 15w-40. My mechanic shop stocks barrels of Castrol RX 15w-40 and Syntec 5w-50.
Post should say cars are better serviced with >MORE< frequent changes of dino 15w-40 over 5w-40.
At $2.50/q verses $5, 2x as often changes of 15w-40 is better in a non-turbo, imo.
At $2.50/q verses $5, 2x as often changes of 15w-40 is better in a non-turbo, imo.
seriously i do not know why we get ripped off. In north america we have to do our oil changes twice as often to meet warranty requirements. I love doing oil changes so im not complaining, its just a waste of oil!!! The stuff is not going to be here forever!, one day or another it will be gone.
And many mechanics out there are saying synthetic oil causes leaks and you need to change your oil every 3k miles. At 3k intervals does it make much difference what you use?
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